Research funding

IELTS has been developing and delivering English language tests since 1989. We are committed to ensuring our assessments are effective, relevant, and follow current best practices. That is why the IELTS Partners fund a wide range of research into English language testing, and use the results to constantly improve and optimise our own assessments.

Since 1995, over 140 external studies by over 350 individual researchers have been funded under this scheme. This research ensures that IELTS contributes to the growing understanding of the nature of language proficiency and its place within linguistics and language education.

The IELTS Partners invite educational institutions and qualified individuals to apply for funding to undertake IELTS-related applied research projects. The application process takes place each year between April and June.

What level and duration of funding is available?

The maximum value of funding for any one proposal is £45000/AUD$80000.

Projects should run over the course of one or two years. The research will culminate in a report of no more than 20000 words (excluding appendices).

What is covered by this funding?

Institutional overheads or taxes are covered, with a limit of 15% of budget on overheads.

The joint-funded research programme is not designed to cover extensive travel, large items of equipment, or conference attendance. Support may be given upon successful acceptance of a conference abstract once research is completed and published.

Applications for funding of PhD research projects are discouraged.

Who can apply?

We invite proposals from researchers and institutions with expertise and experience in language learning and assessment research. This includes suitably qualified researchers and organisations with a direct and ongoing connection with IELTS, e.g. consultants, examiners, and IELTS Administration Centres.

Both individuals and teams are invited to apply. Early-career researchers are encouraged to join a team led by more experienced researchers. 

We welcome applications that take an interdisciplinary approach to research and that bridge language testing and allied fields.

To find out more, read our guidelines for applying.

IELTS research areas of interest

We invite proposals for independent research on the following topics:

Test impact or washback

These studies may address the following:

• The relationship between IELTS and other test scores, and academic or professional success (e.g. communicative confidence, wellbeing, social integration).
• Attitudes and perceptions towards IELTS among users of test scores (e.g. test takers, teachers, admissions staff).
• Uses and perceptions of stakeholders regarding One Skill Retake in their context of use.

Fairness, inclusion and ethical dimensions of language testing

These studies may address the following: 

• Accessibility and access arrangements for diverse test taker populations (including the test taker perspective).
• The role of language assessment in migration, education, and society, including policy implications.
• Ethical considerations in test design, score use, and technological innovation.

Language assessment literacy

These studies may address the following:

• The language assessment literacy levels and requirements of test score users (e.g. those involved in higher education admissions) and/or the effectiveness of approaches aiming to develop these.